"Speaking of eccentrics, you'll like our Head of house, Professor Filius Flitwick. People often underestimate him, because he's really tiny (we think he's part elf, but we've never been rude enough to ask) and he's got a squeaky voice, but he's the best and most knowledgeable Charms master alive in the world today. His office door is always open to any Ravenclaw with a problem, and if you're in a real state he'll get out these delicious little cupcakes he keeps in a tin in his desk drawer and make them do a little dance for you. In fact, it's worth pretending you're in a real state just to see them jive."

Duelling Champion

After completing his Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests in his seventh year, Flitwick graduated from Hogwarts and then proceeded to become a Master Duellist and earned the title of "Duelling Champion" at some point. It is also likely Flitwick studied further into magic, becoming an accomplished wizard, masterful in spells, charms, and defensive magic, and even possibly earning the title of "Doctor", and becoming a fully-fledged and educated sorcerer before beginning his teaching career back at Hogwarts sometime in or before the early 1970s.[6]

Career at Hogwarts

Early years

"Never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

Professor Flitwick's teaching style was regarded as more "laid-back" than some other teachers at Hogwarts, such as Minerva McGonagall's or Severus Snape's. He, unlike others, allowed his students to play games during the lessons before the Christmas holidays, but he was not a bad teacher as Fred Weasley commented that he "couldn't see old Flitwick getting marked down and he usually gets everyone through their exams alright". He does not hand out many detentions or deduct points often, even for tardiness. Flitwick has a rich sense of humour and is always fair with his students, even those who are not in Ravenclaw . Due to his heritage Flitwick does not discriminate against those of different backgrounds. He also encouraged students to experiment with their own magic and did not generally give detentions for slack work; instead he preferred to give students homework so they could catch up. The only punishment he did give was lines, such as when Seamus Finnigan accidentally knocked him off of his stack of books by letting go of his wand in the air.

In 1976, Flitwick administered the Theory of Defence Against the Dark ArtsO.W.L. He walked between the hundreds of small desks in the Great Hall during the exam and, once their time was up, ordered the students to put down their quills, but had to tell a pupil named Stebbins twice before he put his down. Flitwick then used a Summoning Charm to collect in the papers, but was knocked over onto the floor when the hundred scrolls of parchments zoomed into his outstretched arms.

Flitwick would later go on to survive the First Wizarding War, in which his former students, Lily and James, were killed. Despite these dark times, or perhaps because of them, Flitwick continued to teach at Hogwarts.

Protecting the Philosopher's Stone

The Chamber of Winged Keys.

"Professor Flitwick […] took the register, and when he reached Harry's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight."

At the start of his first lesson of the school year, he took the register and, upon seeing Harry Potter's name on his register, squeaked excitedly and fell off of his stack of books. Also, Flitwick was very impressed when Professor McGonagall, his friend and fellow colleague, told him that she was giving a Nimbus 2000 to Harry after being chosen to play as the Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

Professor Flitwick also attended the first Quidditch match of the season; Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. He sat high up in the stands near Severus Snape and Quirinus Quirrell. He looked extremely shocked and worried when Harry seemingly lost control of his broom, as well as when Snape's cloak caught fire, but applauded merrily when Harry regained control and caught the Snitch.

On Christmas Eve, Professors Flitwick and McGonagall were in charge of decorating the Great Hall. Flitwick used a charm, possibly Baubillious, to create golden bubbles to adorn the Christmas trees' branches. He also used live fairies to decorate, which he was rather fond of doing. The hall was noted to look absolutely spectacular. He also attended the Feast on Christmas Day and pulled a cracker with Professor Dumbledore. The Headmaster exchanged his pointed wizard hat for a flowery bonnet and Flitwick read a joke to him, which made him chuckle merrily.

As the first year exams approached, Professor Flitwick set the first years homework to learn various spells and charms off by heart. When it finally was time for the tests, Flitwick called his students one-by-one into his classroom and asked them to make a pineapple tap-dance across his desk. He presumably also set theoretical papers, which were to be completed in a swelteringly hot classroom. Once the exams were over, Hermione Granger visited Flitwick in the staffroom, saying that she was worried that she got a question wrong in the theory test. He, unable to help himself, told her in confidentiality that she had gotten one hundred and twelve percent.

Re-opening of the Chamber of Secrets

"The heir of Slytherin left another message. Right underneath the first one. Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever. [Professor Flitwick bursts into tears]"

Near the end of the year, Professor Flitwick, along with the rest of the staff, were called to the staffroom by Professor McGonagall. McGonagall told them that Slytherin's Monster had kidnapped a student and taken them to the Chamber of Secrets. Flitwick immediately let out a squeal. McGonagall told them that the Heir of Slytherin had left another message right under the first, which read; Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever. Flitwick burst into tears at hearing the news. It had, in fact, been Ginny Weasley, one of Flitwick's students, and, when Lockhart entered the room, the whole staff turned against him. While all the teachers told him his comments of knowing what was in the Chamber and so forth, Flitwick piped in and said that he had told that he was quite sure he knew what was inside it.

The next day, Professor Flitwick was to send his Ravenclaws home on the Hogwarts Express. However, Harry Potter had slain the monster, sealed the Chamber and saved Ginny, so Hogwarts remained open. Instead, Flitwick attended the End-of-Term Feast and applauded happily when Rubeus Hagrid returned from Azkaban, being incorrectly sent there on suspicion of the Chamber openings.

Later on in the year, Sirius Black successfully broke into the castle and infiltrated the boys' dormitory in Gryffindor Tower. As a defence mechanism, Professor Flitwick taught the oak front-doors to recognise a picture of Black so as to not grant him access. Also around this time, Flitwick set the Third Year Exams, which involved casting the Cheering Charm.

Triwizard Tournament

"Owing to the potential for nasty accidents when objects kept flying across the room. Professor Flitwick had given each student a stack of cushions on which to practice, the theory being that these wouldn't hurt anyone if they went off target. It was a good theory, but it wasn't working very well. Neville's aim was so poor that he kept accidentally sending much heavier things flying across the room - Professor Flitwick, for instance."

During the Yule Ball, Professor Flitwick conducted the Hogwarts school choir in playing waltzes. However, once the dances "heated up" and the Weird Sisters arrived to perform, Flitwick was passed over the heads of all the dancers, imitating what Muggles call a moshpit, yelling at them to let him down.

Professor Flitwick and professor McGonagall at the Cedric Diggory's memorial.

During Umbridge's inspection of Professor Flitwick's Charms Class, she sat in the corner of the classroom making notes on her clipboard while he taught his N.E.W.T. students. He treated her like a guest and did not seem to be distracted by her at all, since she hardly spoke, though she did ask Alicia Spinnet what the classes were like. Satisfied with what she had heard and seen, Umbridge left Flitwick to continue his lesson.

When Umbridge inspected Professor Flitwick's class with the school choir, she seemed impressed and pleased, but pulled out a tape measure and measured Flitwick's height. He did not seem happy at all and looked rather offended.

Umbridge inspecting Flitwick.

Once Professor Umbridge had banned The Quibbler from the school after an interview of Harry Potter was printed, all the teachers were proud of him standing up to her. Professor Flitwick, not allowed to talk about anything not relating to his subject, secretly gave a box of Sugar Mice to Harry during one of his classes, before saying "shh!" and hurrying away.

Flitwick during the flight of Fred and George.

Later on in the year, Professor Umbridge became the new Headmistress after Professor Dumbledore left the school. On her first day in office, Fred and George Weasley released fireworks into Hogwarts Castle and some sparklers managed to find themselves in Classroom 2E, Flitwick's classroom. He, wanting to annoy Umbridge like the rest of the staff, ran for her help. Once she had extinguished the fireworks, he revealed that he could have gotten rid of them himself, but he wasn't sure that he had the "authority", before slamming the door in her face.

After Easter break, Fred and George used one of their inventions, a Portable Swamp, to change a corridor into a bog and then departed from school to go into the world of business. Professor Flitwick was seen cheering and supporting them at their departure after they ran rings around Umbridge and Argus Filch. Flitwick was asked to remove the swamp they created at the end of the year, which he did, but he claimed to be unable to remove a small patch under a window. He actually left it there as a tribute to what he saw as a demonstration of rather advanced magical capabilities.

Protecting Hogwarts from Death Eaters

Professor Flitwick at the school gates.

"It was nearly midnight when Professor Flitwick came sprinting down into the dungeons. He was shouting about Death Eaters in the castle, I don't think he really registered that Luna and I were there at all, he just burst his way into Snape's office and we heard him saying that Snape had to go back with him and help and then we heard a loud thump and Snape came hurtling out of his room and he saw us and – and – [...] he said Professor Flitwick had collapsed and that we should go and take care of him while he – while he went to help fight the Death Eaters. We went into his office to see if we could help Professor Flitwick and found him unconscious on the floor... and, oh, it's so obvious now, Snape must have Stupefied Flitwick [...]."

In 1996, Hogwarts was put under the protection of a group of Aurors. Professor Flitwick, together with the caretaker, Argus Filch, was appointed to check off every student entering the school at the entrance gates on a register and take their belongings to be searched for any dark artefacts or weapons. With every student now in the grounds, Flitwick cast some sort of magical barrier spell on the gates, preventing anyone from entering. When Harry Potter arrived at the castle gates with Nymphadora Tonks, he had to wait till Severus Snape could lift the barrier.

One of the first classes he taught to his sixth year class was transforming vinegar into wine. He approached Harry, Ron and Hermione during the lesson and asked them to perform the spell. Hermione cast it perfectly the first time, while Harry turned his to ice and Ron blew his up. Flitwick gave the two boys homework based on their performance, to practise for next lesson.

Shortly after knocking Flitwick out, Snape killed Professor Dumbledore. Once recovering from his attack by Snape, Flitwick insisted on looking after the Ravenclaws. He also took part in the conversation of whether or not Hogwarts should remain open or be closed, as having the Headmaster killed by one of the staff was a "terrible stain on Hogwarts history." Flitwick insisted that the decision should be made by the school governors, which Minerva McGonagall, the new Headmistress, was inclined to agree with. He also argued that Dumbledore should be buried in the grounds, which had never happened to any Headmaster or Mistress. Professor Flitwick, with the rest of the staff and students, later attended the funeral of Albus Dumbledore at the end of the year in the grounds near the Hogwarts Lake.

The Carrows were put in charge of all discipline and punishments, although Flitwick and the staff never sent students to them if they could avoid it, as the new professors' idea of punishment included such horrors as the Cruciatus Curse.

Near the end of the year, Alecto ordered Professor Flitwick to let her into Ravenclaw Tower. He did so, answering the riddle required to enter. When she failed to come out, Amycus told McGonagall to make Flitwick open the door for him too, but she did it herself.

That night, Flitwick, with Professors Sprout and Slughorn, was awoken by Minevra McGonagall's cat patronous, and, still in their night-clothes, went to find out what she wanted. They found McGonagall duelling Snape to the death, and, after squeaking her name in shock, told Snape he would not commit any more murder in the castle. He proceeded to cast a spell which animated the suit of armour that Snape was using to shield himself from McGonagall. Snape then ran into a classroom, chased by Flitwick, Sprout and McGonagall, and flew out of the window, escaping them.

Filius during the One-Hour Armistice.

Filius Flitwick during Battle of Hogwarts

""I can act from here," said Flitwick, and although he could barely see out of it, he pointed his wand through the smashed window and started muttering incantations of great complexity. [There was] a weird rushing noise, as though Flitwick had unleashed the power of the wind into the grounds."

Aware that Lord Voldemort would soon attack the castle, Flitwick and the other Professors set to defend the school and the students. He pointed his wand out of the window and cast several intricate protective spells, including Protego Horribilis. Then, he was quizzed over the Lost Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw by Harry Potter, whom he was shocked to see, under the circumstances. He told Harry that the diadem was long since lost and that it wouldn't really help anyway, unaware that it was a Horcrux.

Professor Flitwick was seen fighting Yaxley close to the front doors in the Entrance Hall, just before Voldemort ordered everyone to cease duelling and offered peace in return for Harry Potter. However, battle soon resumed after Harry was thought to be murdered by Voldemort. In the Great Hall, Antonin Dolohov was seen falling to the ground with a scream at Flitwick's hands, defeated and possibly killed.

Flitwick also witnessed the duel between Harry and Voldemort in the Great Hall and after Voldemort's spell rebounded on him, Flitwick, Sprout and McGonagall all reached to hug Harry at the same time while everyone else joined in.

Sprout, Flitwick and Slughorn after the Battle

A celebration feast was later held, but no one sat in their proper places; teachers, parents and students were all jumbled up. It is likely that Professor Flitwick sat by the Ravenclaws, since he was their Head of House. He was seen talking with Horace Slughorn and Pomona Sprout after the battle.

Later life

It is likely that Professor Flitwick continued his long tenure as Charms Master after the war, though he may have retired sometime before 2017, being as old as he was.

Physical description

Professor Flitwick carrying a pile of books.

"Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk."

Flitwick, due to his goblin blood, was distinguishingly short and frequently described as "tiny little Professor Flitwick". He had a shock of white hair in his elderly years and brown when he was younger. Also when he was young, he usually wore black clothes and suits as opposed to the green robes that he wore in his later years.

Personality and traits

"Splendid! Well done, dear!"

—Professor Flitwick congratulating Hermione Granger, one of his students.[src]

He was also shown to have a sense of mischief. He sarcastically remarked to Dolores Umbridge that, while he easily had the ability to remove Fred and George's rampaging fireworks, he wasn't sure if he had the authority. He also discretely cheered the Weasley Twin's escape from the school, and left a small patch of the twin's Portable Swamp under the window, which Ron believed he had done as a monument to Fred and George. He also covertly sneaked Harry a Sugar Mice so as to reward him for speaking out about Voldemort in the Quibblerbecause he couldn't talk about it aloud, murmuring a little 'sh' to Harry afterwards.

Harry Potter

Professor Flitwick was kind to Harry Potter and had a good relationship with him. He was so excited to see Harry's name on his register that he fell off of his stack of books with a squeak. He allowed Harry and his friends to talk during classes, as well as play games sometimes, and helped defend Hogwarts Castle to give time for Harry to find Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem, casting a Protego Horribilis on the school grounds. He was among the first ones to run and hug him after he defeated Lord Voldemort.

Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley

Flitwick also had a good relationship with Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. Hermione was a very good student and thus Flitwick liked her. Flitwick was thoroughly impressed when Hermione managed to successfully cast the Levitation Charm, announcing her feat to the class. He was also friendly with Ron Weasley, who was a friend of Hermione and Harry. Ron liked Flitwick's method of teaching, as he usually let them talk during his lessons. Flitwick fought alongside Ron and Hermione at the Battle of Hogwarts and they all survived the battle.

Ravenclaw students

"Professor Flitwick was knocked out, but […] he insisted on going off to look after the Ravenclaws."

Flitwick may have also been friendly with, or at least unusually persuasive to, Poppy Pomfrey, the school matron, as the strict nurse very rarely let people out of the hospital wing until they made a full recovery, but she let Flitwick out after he was hit by a stunner by Severus Snape, despite still being shaky. This may, however, just be because he was the Charms Master and a professor.

During the 1995–1996 school year, Dolores Umbridge, the Defence Against the Dark Artsteacher, was made High Inquisitor of Hogwarts. When Umbridge inspected Professor Flitwick's N.E.W.T.Charms Class, he treated her like a guest and was very polite. But when she inspected his rehearsal with the Hogwarts choir, Umbridge measured his height, which he found insulting. When she became Headmistress of the school, Flitwick, along with the rest of the staff and the students, was against her. After Fred and George Weasley released fireworks into the corridors, Umbridge spent an entire day running around putting them out, and Flitwick later said that he could have easily put them all out, but was not sure that he "had the authority" to do so. The twins also released a Portable Swamp into another one of the corridors, and, once Umbridge had been suspended, Flitwick vanished it in a second, but left a small patch since he considered it to be a good piece of magic.

Etymology

Professor Flitwick sat reading.

Filius is Latin for "son", and the filius philosophorum, meaning "the philosophers' son" is a symbol in alchemy, sometimes associated with the philosopher's stone.

The surname Flitwick may come from the Charms professor's own advice for wand movement: "swish and flick". Flitwick is also the name of an English town, pronounced "Flittick". To flit is to move quickly from location to another. A wick is a loosely woven strand of fabric or fibres, often used in a candle or oil lamp. A wick has a similar shape to a stick (wand).

Behind the scenes

"I must admit, I was taken aback when I saw the film Flitwick, who looks very much like a goblin/elf (I’ve never actually asked the film-makers precisely what he is), because the Flitwick in my imagination simply looks like a very small old man."

Strangely, despite her hatred of "Half-breeds", Dolores Umbridge did not seem to hate Professor Flitwick, as the Weasley twins stated that she gave him a good review. However, this may be due to the fact that his "half-breed" ancestry comes from a distant relative. In the film, though, Umbridge is seen measuring his height.

Portrayal in the films

"When it came to the third film, of course the looks of the whole films had changed. Alfonso really wanted to put his mark on the films. And then a lot of things altered: anything from character looks, to the actual layout of Hogwarts itself. And another thing was happening at the same time. There wasn't really anything for Flitwick in the script at all, and I got a call one day from the producer, saying basically, "There's nothing for you, but we'd love you to be in the film all the same. How do you fancy coming in and doing a kind of cameo in the film as somebody else?" And I said, "Well, that's great, thanks for asking. I'm always thrilled to be part of all of this, anyway." So, I went in for a meeting with Alfonso, the director, and Nick Dougland, who's the make-up supervisor, and we came up with this new look for this character who would be basically the conductor of the Frog Chorus in the Great Hall. And so, we went with that."

That said, given the context of the series, the possibility that Flitwick's appearance was changed at some point due to an off-screen magical incident is not out of the realm of possibility, he could have also wanted a different look and had Professor McGonagall transfigure him to look younger. Though without any on-screen or in-print confirmation, the discrepancy remains a mystery and it has caused confusion amongst viewers and a rather large inconsistency.

It has also been noticed that Flitwick's role as from the fourth film, has been used for comic relief, due to his snappy personality and unexpected, comical behaviour (eg. his contribution to the cheering when the Weasley twins left Hogwarts; the conversation between him, Harry and Luna in the sixth film and his flight from the Viaduct when the Giants close in during the Battle of Hogwarts in the second part of the seventh film).